Mexico City Temple Trip and Juli

Good week. Solid, some might say.

Tuesday was a very powerful day for me. We had the opportunity to go as a mission to the temple!!! So we had to be on the bus before 6:00am and that was good times. We got there around 9:30 and entered the 11:00 session because we couldn't have made the 10:00 session. We finished the session and I had some important questions to ask The Man Upstairs. I testify to all who read this letter that our Heavenly Father answers prayers!!! And He answers them just how we need it!!! The power and gift of prayer is much, much more than we realize at times and I invite you to gain an unshakable testimony of it. When we finished there, we headed for the bus. And as everyone was getting on, for some reason Elder Varela and I were the only zone leaders getting everyone organized even though there were 4 others there with us. Where were they? Who knows!! Probs real cumff in their seat chowing down on some CHEETOS!!! And to top it all off, there was some clown of an Elder yelling in the back of the bus, "Let's go! Come on Varela! Why are we waiting?!" Now, for those who don't know, I'm pretty patient most of the time. But when it comes to chumps being jackwagons, I'm not a fan. So I went over and let him know that he should be quiet. To keep it short, he agreed. And off we went to Cuautla once again!! All good things Tuesday!!!

Wednesday, well... It’s hump day. Halfway through the week. Not too much happened. We don't however, have any money. And we did however, have a meeting with the stake president in the stake center. So we got to enjoy the lovely hour walk from our area to our meeting. Other than that, we had passed by earlier with Juli and she didn't have much time, but told us she had received her answer!!! BaDaBing!!! We waited ‘til Friday for her to tell us what it was!

Thursday was awesome! We woke up early to go over to another companionships house. We had been told by the stake president, who happens to rent their house to the Elders, that they might be watching movies, leaving the house late in the day, and hanging out at the youth activities on Thursdays. Now, when we got there, their house has big windows downstairs and we could clearly see there was no one down there. So we call and when they answered, we can hear the call woke them up. But the worst part is that they straight up lied telling us that they were downstairs doing exercise... We could see everything and they were NOT downstairs nor doing exercise. So that was fun catching them in the act! We know we can't trust them now, and also why they haven't had success. Needless to say, we'll be on them like ugly on an ape!!!

Friday was great! We had our lesson with Juli and she told us about her answer!!! She knows that the church is true and has invited a few people to her baptism!!! This is going to be super hard for her because her whole family is Catholic and they don't like the fact that she's listening to us. And because of where she works, everyone knows her. And because we have our lessons outside, everyone knows that she’s listening to us. So several people have talked to her about that and judge her a little... jerks. But she could use prayers now and then if it isn’t too big of a hassle! I'd appreciate it!

Saturday was alright. Almost no success though. We did however see a sweet mercy of the Lord! It’s not easy getting up at 6:30 every morning after walking the day before. But if we wake up when we're supposed to, we have energy and are awake the whole day!!! It’s like magic!!!

1 Nephi 16:28 "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the pointers which were in the ball, that they DID WORK according to the FAITH and DILIGENCE and HEED which we did give unto them." Just like all things the Lord gives unto us, our reward and blessings depend on what we DO with them!!!

This is the work of the Lord! This is His church! We know it! But, do we live it? And just as important, do we love it? Thank you for your prayers!!! As Always!!!

Stay Classy,

Elder Johns

Jazmin

Well, not a lot happened this week. Almost nothing happened this week actually... so I have close to nothing to report on. I apologize for that but there’s nothing I can do about it. I will however let you all know that I AM alive! haha That’s right. I don’t go down easy!!! And when I do go down I don’t go alone!!!

Also I would like to ask a favor of all of you. We did have a lesson with a new investigator. Her name is Jazmin and she is 17 years old. It looks like she might not have to many friends if any. Her home life is rough and she doesn’t do a lot. But she is interested in listening to this message. Please send a prayer her way! I would really appreciate it! thank you all for your prayers and I will work for a better email next week! As Always!!!

Stay Classy,

Elder Johns

Ain't Nobody Got Time For Dat

Alright! We're crankin' things up in the mission!!! We've raised the bar and almost DOUBLED all the mission "standards of excellence" which are lessons with member present, monthly baptism goal as a mission, and other things of that nature! So things could get a little crazy around here!!! Other than that, it was a pretty normal week!

Tuesday we were cruising all over the place and just UNLEASHING lessons with members the whole day!! Around 12:00 a joven came up to us that we knew. His name is Andres and he's super cool! His brother is a member and Andres was listening to us. We finally had to drop him a few weeks back because he wasn't progressing. So when we saw him we didn't expect much more than just a friendly "How do ya do?". But he slapped us in the face with a big brick of "good morning" and told us that he had received his answer, wanted to be baptized, and was going to have his baptism this Saturday at 6:00... Well Alrighty Then! It doesn't get a lot easier than that!!! Pretty awesome day!

Wednesday not too much happened. Several lesson plans fell and we were just huffin' around all day.

Thursday was average. We did however have a lesson with another joven that has wanted to be baptized for a long time. But his parents won't let him. Bunch of chumps. So we have a plan and he's going to talk to his parents again! His name is Rodrigo if you'd like to send a prayer his way.

Friday was a good day! We had a lesson with Juli about the plan of salvation. We left the pamphlet with her the last time we saw her so she could read it and understand it better. When we got there, she had filled out a bunch of questions out in the back of the pamphlet! I haven't even seen a missionary do these questions, let alone an investigator!!! Once again she excepted everything really well!!! It was just one of those moments when you need an Angus Young guitar solo cause you've been... THUNDERSTRUCK!!! Normal day after that.

Saturday. Without fail, every Saturday we have a baptism, something goes wrong. WITHOUT FAIL!!! First, we got to the church at 10:00 that morning and couldn't open the door to the font. Not, a big problem. We brought in a hood rat to jam a couple knifes in the lock and he popped 'er right open! But what we saw next gave me the idea that they hadn't had a baptism in this ward for a while. There was about 3 inches of water at the bottom of the font and an orange/black residue on the floor and a stench that I'm sure was toxic. It's a miracle we're alive. It’s bad enough I’m attaching pictures. But you do what you gotta do and get 'er done!! Personally, I would've eaten off the floor of the font after we got done with it!! So now it's water time! We flipped on that switch with all the confidence of the world and... nothing... We don't got AGUA!!! What do we do? We stay calm. We called up the stake president and he called us a water truck to fill up the pump. All is well. As we wait, we grabbed ourselves a cold pop which we haven't had in a while and sipped on that ‘til the water guy got there. When he arrived, we filled up the tank, and that was that. We started up the water and off it went filling up the font. All systems are a go, captain! So we went to eat and left everything at the church. We headed back after eating to check on the font around 5:15. Keep in mind that the baptism is at 6:00. As we arrived, we see that the water has stopped and the font is not even filled to the first step... So what do we do? We stay calm. We grabbed some buckets and filled up one of those yellow mopping containers with water from the tank that the guy just filled up. And as I ran that thing in to the font and dumped it out, my comp was hurling water through the window into the font with his bucket!!! We had our ties ripped off, sleeves rolled up, and were sweating like hogs!! But we're not here to mess around. Members of the ward began to arrive and I thought to myself, "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty we're free at last!!!" We thought we were going to get help. But NO! There was no helping. There was only judging! We literally heard one sisters say, "look at the elders. Why on earth on they not wearing ties?!" The first counselor hounded us for not filling it up earlier that day... we started at 10... And as we were leaving for the stake center to have the baptism there, a sister sees that we have empty coke bottles in our hands and stops us. She told us, "Elders. I don't appreciate you setting a bad example for the youth by drinking Coke." Now, I've always been told that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don't say it at all. So I looked into her eyes, nodded, and walked away. The only good part is that we got Andres dunked. Other than that, I think I would've rather taken a crowbar to both my shins.

But yeah. Nice week full of the good, the bad, and the ugly. You can't win them all. Thank you for all your prayers! I really do appreciate it!! As Always!!!

Stay Classy,

Elder Johns